CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — Hall of Fame coach Roy Williams earned his 800th career victory when Isaiah Hicks scored 20 points to lead No. 9 North Carolina to an 85-68 victory over Syracuse on Monday night.
Kennedy Meeks added 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Tar Heels (17-3, 5-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who shot 52 percent and dominated the boards. UNC never trailed after the game’s opening possession, led 42-30 at halftime and then stayed a step ahead of the hot-shooting Orange after the break.
Syracuse (11-8, 3-3) got as close as three early in the second half, but never pushed ahead. The Tar Heels ultimately ran off a 7-0 flurry in the final 5 minutes to stretch the lead back out to 15.
The win made Williams just the ninth Division I coach to reach 800 wins.
Tyler Lydon scored 26 points for the Orange.
VILLANOVA 76, SETON HALL 46
VILLANOVA, Pa. (AP) — Kris Jenkins scored 16 points and Jalen Brunson added 13 to lead No. 1 Villanova to a 76-46 win over Seton Hall on Monday night.
The Wildcats (18-1, 6-1 Big East) looked every bit like a team that could win back-to-back national championships in their first game at No. 1 in the AP Top 25 poll following a one-week hiatus.
Villanova fell from the top spot to third in the poll following a Jan. 4 loss at Butler. But wins over Marquette and Xavier vaulted the Wildcats over Kansas and back into the top spot.
Led by four 3s from Jenkins, the Wildcats set a school record with their 47th straight win at the Pavilion.
Desi Rodriguez scored 15 points for Seton Hall (12-6, 2-4), which shot 29 percent from the field and committed 16 turnovers.
No. 7 CREIGHTON 72, No. 22 XAVIER 67
CINCINNATI (AP) — Cole Huff got a pivotal rebound and made a pair of free throws with 16.7 seconds left, and Creighton wasted an 11-point lead before rallying for a road win that gave the Bluejays the best start in their history.
Creighton (18-1, 5-1 Big East) scored the final six points after Xavier (13-5, 3-3) pulled ahead 67-66. The Bluejays have won five straight since an 80-70 home loss to No. 1 Villanova on Dec. 31.
Creighton suffered a significant setback when point guard Maurice Watson Jr. — the national leader with 8.8 assists per game — hurt his left knee when he hit the court hard after scoring on a layup in the first half. He was on crutches for the second half.
Coach Greg McDermott said a doctor who examined Watson at halftime thought there was no ligament damage. Watson will get an MRI when the team goes home.
RaShid Gaston had a career-high 17 rebounds for Xavier, and Trevon Bluiett scored 17 points.
NO. 13 BUTLER 88, MARQUETTE 80
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Kelan Martin scored 22 points and Butler rallied from an 18-point deficit early in the second half.
The Bulldogs (16-3, 5-2 Big East) put up 63 points after the break without a single turnover.
Markus Howard had 26 points for Marquette (12-6, 3-3).
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